Be Silent
by Amai Kitsune
Summary: One mystery girl from outer space. She's a Saiya-jin... isn't she? When this little girl is taken in by the Briefs family, her life goes on as normal... until she no longer has to be silent... COMPLETE
1. Prologue

Be Silent  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ  
  
Prologue  
  
It was quiet, as only space could be, the only sounds coming from the occasional beep or click of the machinery inside the tiny craft. The single passenger was silent in its almost deathlike sleep, even the soft whisper of breathing nearly inaudible. The only visible sign of life was the slight movement behind the closed eyelids that is the signature of the dream- state.  
  
The small pod hurtled through space carrying its silent, sleeping passenger, oblivious to its surroundings. As the craft continued its path, something became visible in the single round viewport. A sliver of a sphere, blue, green, brown, and white, slowly grew until it filled the little window completely. The landmasses of the planet grew as the gravity pulled the pod down. The hull of the craft began to glow red with the friction of the atmosphere as tiny particles, normally no more of a problem than to cause a person to sneeze, etched small scratches into the metal shell.  
  
Down and down, until cities could be distinguished from wilderness and farmland. It was towards one of these cities that the tiny craft flew. It breezed past tall buildings, never quite hitting any of them. The closer it came to the ground, the more obvious its destination became: one domed building near the center of the city. The pod landed so hard that it skidded across the ground, gouging out a path until it finally stopped. It came to rest at the door, viewport upturned so that the only thing visible was the top of the dome, which bore the emblem of a double "C". 


	2. Child of a lost race

Be Silent  
  
Disclaimer: I created Nanaki all by myself, but I still don't own DBZ.  
  
Author's note: Be warned that some events of this story don't seem to tie together at first. Everything will come together in the end, so be patient, and just read.  
  
Chapter 1: Child of a lost race  
  
"Vegeta, go see what it is, NOW!" Bulma demanded, pointing to the door.  
  
"Why can't you go see what it is, woman?" the Saiya-jin Prince asked with a frown.  
  
"Because I don't know what it is and you're the one who can protect himself," she replied, growing more frustrated by the minute. "Now GO!"  
  
"I don't see why she can't just send the brat on her errands," Vegeta grumbled under his breath as he opened the door. He nearly stepped on the pod, it was so close. He knew immediately what it was. "Why is a Saiya-jin spacecraft here on earth?" he wondered aloud as he opened the hatch. He recoiled in disgust from what he saw inside.  
  
"What is it Vegeta?" Bulma asked, attempting to poke her head over his shoulder as her curiosity overcame the little fear she had before.  
  
"A brat in a pod," he practically spat out. "I don't like the looks of it either."  
  
"A child?! In a space pod?! Oh, Vegeta, let me see!" she said, pushing past her husband to the round craft. She saw the little girl inside, sucking her thumb peacefully. She couldn't have been more than two or three years old. Her hair, just past her shoulders and somewhat fuzzy, was a pale blonde that was really more of a white color. Her monkey-like tail was the same shade.  
  
"She's a little Saiya-jin girl," Bulma cooed. "Do all female Saiya-jins have white tails, Vegeta?"  
  
"No, I've only seen one other colored like her," he answered gruffly. "And I don't like it."  
  
"What can you not like about a little harmless baby?" Bulma picked up the girl from the craft. "Oh!" she exclaimed when she noticed the four scar lines crisscrossed on the girl's left cheek. They formed a number sign, a #, on the fair-skinned face. "I wonder where she got that?" But even as she reached out to touch the baby's cheek, the mark faded as if it had never been there at all.  
  
"Bring it in if you find it so fascinating," Vegeta grunted, motioning her inside. Bulma hugged the child gently and carried her to the living room.  
  
"MOM! I can't find my- hey, what's that?" Trunks inquired as he burst in.  
  
"Shh, she's sleeping," Bulma said, putting a finger to her lips. He floated up to look at the child in his mother's arms.  
  
"It's a girl," he said as he twisted his face into a look of disgust. "Where'd it come from?"  
  
"Your mother found it in a space pod and now she wants to keep it," Vegeta answered gruffly. Then he added, with a look of distaste, "It's an abomination."  
  
"What do you have against this baby?" Bulma demanded, holding the girl close to protect her.  
  
"It's a very long story, woman."  
  
"Tell me." Bulma sat down on the couch with the little girl settled in her lap. Trunks hopped up beside his mother. He too was curious about what his father was to tell. Vegeta slumped into a chair and began his tale.  
  
"There has only been one like her before. Before, all Saiya-jins were dark. All of us sported dark hair, brown tails, and tanned skin. Then Kitajara was born.  
  
"Her tail and hair were both pure white, like this child's. Her skin was fair and unmarked. Most considered her to be beautiful, and rightly so. However, she was weak, so she never took a mate. None wanted her. She was older than me by a few years, so she was still young when Frieza took control. Though she was weak and unusual and most Saiya-jins held her in contempt, he took a liking to her. Frieza favored her, for whatever reason he had. For that, even more people despised her.  
  
"She was given a position of power in his ranks. She became his personal adviser, always at his side. And when he was gone for whatever errands he had to do around the universe, Kitajara was left to ensure that our planet was still doing its work. She did her job thoroughly and commanded as much respect as Frieza himself. Despite her weakness, she had risen above the ranks of all other Saiya-jins. Some said she could command Frieza if she wanted to.  
  
"It was Kitajara who came to collect me on the day that my planet was destroyed. She took me and led me deep into the chambers of his ship, where my father could never have found me. It was only a few hours later that Vegetasei was completely destroyed. My father and my entire race were gone. There were only three of us left. At least that's what Frieza told us.  
  
"I still think that Kitajara survived. Frieza would not have allowed her to be killed. She was no longer seen, but evidence of her was everywhere. A trace of her scent sometimes seemed to linger in the corridors, if only for a moment. Pale white hairs, one or two at a time, were occasionally found by myself or one of the other Saiya-jins. We knew she was there somewhere.  
  
"She betrayed our people. This child has to be hers. There is no other way that this girl could end up looking exactly like her." Vegeta pointed accusingly at the little one, who wiggled down into a more comfortable spot on Bulma's lap.  
  
"First of all, Vegeta, you have no evidence that this is Kitajara's daughter. Second, even if she is, Kitajara is the traitor, not this baby!" Bulma said.  
  
"Does this mean it has to stay here?" Trunks asked, wrinkling his nose.  
  
"She has nowhere else to go," Bulma answered. "But she needs a name."  
  
"Nanaki," Vegeta said quickly. Bulma and Trunks stared at him. "It was the name of Kitajara's mother. It will suit the brat."  
  
"Nanaki." Bulma rolled the name in her mouth, testing it. "I like it. Nanaki it is."  
  
"Na- Nan- Naki-" Trunks tried, but he couldn't manage to get the name out. "Aki," he finally said. "I'll call her Aki."  
  
"That's a good nickname for her, Trunks," Bulma said, patting her son on the head. "Aki will have to share your room tonight, okay?"  
  
"WHAT?!" he exclaimed, pulling his hair. "I am NOT sharing a room with some baby girl!"  
  
"Just joking, dear," Bulma giggled. "We have plenty of room for her. I'll need to call everyone, they'll be very interested..." she said to herself as she walked away.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Okay, you've read the prologue and the first chapter. I don't usually ask for reviews, but this time I am, because I've worked hard. 5 reviews per chapter and I'll continue. THANK YOU! 


	3. Waking Hours

Be Silent  
  
Disclaimer: I made Nanaki. She is mine; don't take her. But I don't own DBZ.  
  
Chapter 2: Waking hours  
  
"She's such a cute little thing," Chichi commented as she watched the now- awakened Nanaki toddle around the floor as Goku tried to play with her. The little girl babbled something in her native tongue and Vegeta grunted.  
  
"What did she say?" Bulma asked.  
  
"She says she's hungry," he answered. "And if you don't feed her something she'll tear your hair out."  
  
"She said she'd tear my hair out?!" Bulma exclaimed.  
  
"That's not what she said, that's simply what she'll do," Vegeta explained with a shrug. "It's how a Saiya-jin child gets food. If they're not fed, they fight to eat. So I suggest you get her something."  
  
"What will she eat?" Chichi wondered.  
  
"The same thing as any other brat," he said. With that, Vegeta walked towards the door.  
  
"Oh no you don't! You have to stay here and translate what she says," Bulma said, grabbing him by the back of the shirt as she scooped up the child. "Let's get you something to eat, Nanaki dear."  
  
In the kitchen, Trunks and Goten were at the table playing with some of Trunks' toys. When the others came in, Trunks frowned. "How come I can't find anywhere where she doesn't go?!" he pouted.  
  
"What'd she do to you?" Goten asked. He hadn't been exposed to the girl yet, since Trunks had dragged him away as soon as he arrived.  
  
"She showed up," Trunks grumbled.  
  
"Give the girl a chance, she's not bad," Bulma said. "But she is hungry. Vegeta, you watch her." Suddenly the Saiya-jin Prince found himself holding the little girl.  
  
"I don't want it!" he protested. His pleas were ignored by everyone but Goku.  
  
"I'll take her!" he offered, and gladly took Nanaki. While Chichi and Bulma busily cooked, Goku spun and twirled the Saiya-jin toddler joyfully.  
  
"She doesn't like you, Kakkarot," Vegeta pointed out.  
  
"What makes you say that, Veggie?" Goku asked, stopping his play. Vegeta pointed to Nanaki's tail, which was lashing back and forth angrily. "Aw, she's just having fun," Goku said. He brought the little girl to his face and talked baby talk to her. He was rewarded with a punch straight to his nose. Nanaki chattered something while waving her little fists in the air.  
  
"She says to put her down, Kakkarot, and I recommend you do as she says," Vegeta instructed. Goku willingly complied, and Nanaki toddled over to where Trunks and Goten played at the table, again saying something in the Saiya-jin tongue.  
  
"What's she want dad?" Trunks asked irritably, purposefully not meeting the little girl's gaze.  
  
"She wants to play with you," Vegeta translated.  
  
"No. Way," he answered, going back to his toys. Nanaki looked to Vegeta, who did a quick translation. With a screech, the toddler jumped on the older boy and pounded him with fists and feet. "MOM! GET HER OFF!" he screamed. Goten laughed so hard he fell off his chair.  
  
"Nanaki, no!" Bulma said as she pulled the toddler off her son. "Bad girl!"  
  
The Saiya-jin girl struggled against her captor, wiggling in attempt to break free. Bulma set her down in a chair and placed a plate of food in front of her. In an instant, Nanaki's worries were forgotten as she ate.  
  
"How will you manage to keep up with this child, Bulma?" Chichi asked as she picked Goten up and put him back on his chair.  
  
"I handled Trunks as a baby, I can handle this girl," she answered, putting more food on the table for Nanaki's insatiable Saiya-jin appetite.  
  
"Full Saiya-jin children are very different from half," Vegeta said. As if she was trying to prove his point, Nanaki picked up one of the action figures Trunks and Goten weren't playing with at the moment and began to examine it. She bit its head off and spat it across the table, hitting Trunks squarely in the forehead.  
  
"Hey, that was one of my favorites!" Trunks whined. "Little bitch!"  
  
"How many times have I told you not to use that language?! And it's not like I couldn't easily buy you a new toy," Bulma said.  
  
"She's a brat. I hate her," he maintained. "She'd better not be staying around here."  
  
"She is, and you will have to get used to it," his mother scolded. "And if I hear one more word you'll be grounded for a week!"  
  
Nanaki looked at the headless action figure she held in her hand. "Bitch," she said happily as she snapped off its arm. Vegeta chuckled.  
  
"Looks like we had better teach her to speak English before she picks up too much on her own," Chichi said.  
  
"I don't know enough of her language to really teach her," Bulma said. "Looks like it's up to you, Vegeta." Her husband glared at her with an expression that said, 'in your dreams.' "Either you teach Nanaki English," she warned, "or you go one month with no home-cooked meals, no gravity room, and no bed. You'll have to sleep on the couch."  
  
"Damn woman," Vegeta grumbled.  
  
"Damn woman," Nanaki repeated loudly.  
  
"And get those words out of her vocabulary," Bulma added.  
  
He glared at Nanaki. "Come on, brat, the sooner we get started the sooner we'll have this over with." He picked her up out of her chair to carry her out, but she didn't like that idea. She sunk her teeth into his hand- hard. "Damn! Insolent brat!" Vegeta shouted before rattling off a long string of Saiya-jin. Nanaki's lip quivered and she burst out crying. Bulma quickly snatched her away.  
  
"Hush, Aki dear, Mommy's got you," she cooed.  
  
"Mommy?!" Trunks choked. Nanaki continued to cry, either angered or scared by whatever Vegeta had said. She didn't stop until Goku began making ridiculous faces at her. She didn't laugh; she punched him in the nose again. But she stopped crying.  
  
"What did you tell her Vegeta?" Goku asked as he rubbed his nose.  
  
"I told her that if she did that again I'd pull her tail right off her smart little ass," he answered, his face pulled into a tight frown. With her crying done, Nanaki shouted another phrase at him. "Why you little..." he sputtered.  
  
"English? NOW?!" Bulma said.  
  
"You don't want to know, woman," Vegeta snapped.  
  
"I recognized some of those words!" Trunks announced. "I've heard Dad use them when he's mad."  
  
"She knows that kind of language?!" Bulma exclaimed. "That's it, Vegeta, you're starting those English lessons right away!"  
  
"She doesn't want to," he grunted. "She's made that very clear."  
  
Bulma thought for a few minutes as she watched Nanaki pick up the action figure from before, this time snapping off a leg. "I think I know what we can do," she finally said. She walked to the cabinet and pulled out a bag of cookies.  
  
"We had cookies and you didn't tell me?!" Trunks shouted. "That's not fair!"  
  
"If you took the time to look you would have found them. Besides, you don't need the sugar. Neither does Aki, actually, but this is the only way I know of to get her to pay attention." Bulma took the cookies in one hand and scooped up Nanaki with the other, taking both into the living room. "Come on Vegeta!"  
  
Nanaki set quietly, for once, as her attention was focused on the cookie in Bulma's hand. "Will she be able to learn at this age?" Bulma asked doubtfully.  
  
"Saiya-jins are able to learn languages at an early age. We are all required to," Vegeta answered.  
  
The lessons were fairly simple. Vegeta would give Nanaki a word or phrase in English, then its meaning in Saiya-jin. She would repeat the English and tell what it meant. When she got it correct, Bulma rewarded her with a cookie. After a while, Chichi and Goku came in to watch. The boys remained in the kitchen with their toys. Soon Nanaki was speaking basic English, no longer entirely dependent on Vegeta to translate her every word. Then she yawned loudly.  
  
"Looks like it's time for Aki to go to bed," Bulma said. "I haven't had time to set up the nursery yet... TRUNKS! Come help me!"  
  
"I think it's time we went home, Bulma. It's almost time for dinner, and Gohan will be home soon and hungry!" Chichi said. "Goku, Goten, let's go."  
  
They exchanged hurried goodbyes as Bulma made Trunks and Vegeta set up the crib in the nursery. Nanaki wiggled sleepily into the covers when it was finished, and Bulma kissed her forehead goodnight. "Sleep tight, Aki dear."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
More?? You know the drill. 5 reviews, I post another chapter. They're already written, so it'll be submitted as soon as I see the 5th review. 


	4. Just a typical day

Be Silent  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ, just Nanaki.  
  
Author's Note: Okay, this chapter MAY seem a little pointless, but it's basically to introduce Nanaki's personality a little more. It will also make more sense later on. Be patient with me, it's all for a purpose.  
  
Chapter 3: Just a typical day  
  
One year later, Nanaki still lived with the Briefs family down on Earth. With some questioning she had been able to remember her age, so it was known for sure that she was now five years old. And she was just as full of energy as ever.  
  
"Aki! Give me that!" Trunks shouted as he ran down the hall.  
  
"Gotta catch me first!" she yelled back. "I'm not scared of you!"  
  
"You will be when I catch up to you!"  
  
Aki just laughed and ran faster, until she was caught by Bulma. "Just where do you think you're going?" her adoptive mother asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"No time to talk, gotta go!" Nanaki said as she struggled against Bulma's grip on her shirt.  
  
"AKI! Give it!" Trunks demanded.  
  
"Not until you let me read it!" she replied cheekily.  
  
"Read what?" Bulma asked. Nanaki held up a folded piece of paper with Trunks' name written on the front. Her mother opened the paper and read what was inside. "You have a little girlfriend, Trunks? How cute!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Let me read it Mom!" Aki begged, reaching her small hands up for the note.  
  
"She's not my girlfriend!" Trunks pouted. "She follows me around at school. I was going to burn that before Aki took it away."  
  
"I bet he's fibbing, he's got a little girlfriend. I bet he kisses her!" Nanaki teased. She began making kissing noises.  
  
"No way! I'm nine years old, and girls are gross!" he said, making a twisted face.  
  
"What's all the racket?!" Vegeta asked as he burst out of the Gravity Room. Trunks and Nanaki began talking at the same time, and Vegeta had to make them stop. "Woman, you tell me."  
  
"They're just being kids," she scoffed. "Don't mind them. You two run off and play." Trunks slunk away to his room again, after publicly burning the offending note with a flash of ki. Nanaki, however, remained.  
  
"Dad, let me come train with you," she asked as sweetly as she could manage.  
  
"I'm not your father, brat," he muttered, but waved for her to follow him into the Gravity Room. She skipped along behind happily.  
  
"What are you going to teach me today, Dad?" she asked as she wrapped her tail around her waist securely to protect it. "Will you ever teach me how to go Super Saiya-jin?"  
  
"We're practicing your ki blasts today, brat," he answered, ignoring her second question.  
  
"You're going to teach me Final Flash and Gallick Gun?!" Nanaki exclaimed.  
  
"No, just ki blasts. Nothing extraordinary." Vegeta hit a few buttons on the control panel, and the gravity increased. "This is seventy times Earth's normal gravity," he said. Another few buttons released twelve drones into the air. "Hit each one with a ki blast. If you can get them all in five minutes or less, then you can fight me. If not, you're out." Aki nodded and settled into her favorite fighting stance.  
  
Four and a half minutes later, twelve drones lay on the floor of the Gravity Room. Nanaki stood proudly over the last one knocked down, putting a large dent into it with her heel. "Good enough?" she asked.  
  
"I suppose," Vegeta answered slowly. "But can you hit me? Try it." He got into a defensive posture and awaited her attempt.  
  
When a few conventional blasts from her hands failed to hit him, Nanaki resorted to different tactics. With a little smirk, she spat a ball of ki straight at Vegeta's midsection, which he just barely managed to dodge. Next her hands and feet both took on a surreal glow. It seemed as though she was going to fire four blasts, but that wasn't her tactic at all. When she brought all four appendages together, a huge beam of ki was fired. But this was also evaded.  
  
Nanaki paused, her feet planted firmly, her breath becoming ragged with her exertion. She wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand as she thought. Suddenly she grinned to herself. Vegeta smirked when he realized she had something up her sleeve and prepared himself once again.  
  
Nanaki's hands glowed golden with ki. It seemed she would try a double attack. Suddenly something swung out from behind her, hitting Vegeta on his right arm. "What was that, girl?!" he exclaimed.  
  
She turned around, proudly displaying her tail. She rolled the end into a circle to form a ring that filled with a ki sphere, and then flung it towards him. This time he dodged the small ki ball since he could see where it came from. "Like it? I made it up myself," Nanaki said proudly.  
  
Vegeta grunted. "Well, you hit me. We're done. Run along, brat, I have serious training to do." He returned the gravity to normal and shoved her out into the hall, slamming the door behind her.  
  
"Guess he didn't like it," she mused. "I wonder what Mom's making for dinner?" She ran off to the kitchen. "MOM! When are we going to eat?" she asked.  
  
"Just a few minutes, Aki dear," Bulma answered.  
  
"I'm hungry now!" Nanaki whined.  
  
"Go get Trunks and Vegeta, and by the time you're finished with that dinner will be done," Bulma said, ushering her towards Trunks' room.  
  
Nanaki started to protest, and then realized that Bulma was actually TELLING her to go to Trunks' room. With a smirk, she sauntered off, her tail swishing behind her saucily.  
  
"Oh Tru-unks," she crooned ever-so-softly. When no reply came, she gave a feather-light tap on the door. 'Guess since he's not answering, I'll have to go on in,' she thought as an evil grin crept across her small features.  
  
With a hard kick she sent the door flying open to bang against the wall with a noise heard halfway through the huge building. "TRUNKS, MOM SAYS TIME FOR DINNER!" Aki shouted at the top of her lungs. Trunks, who had been lounging on his bed, jumped so high he hit his head on the ceiling.  
  
"DAMN you, WHY do you ALWAYS insist on DOING that?!" he shouted as he rubbed his head.  
  
But his reply was wasted as she was out the door with his first word, shouting, "MOM! TRUNKS IS CUSSING AT ME AGAIN!"  
  
"AM NOT!" he shouted in return, chasing after her.  
  
Nanaki took a quick stop at the gravity room door, pounding hard on it. "DAD! DINNER!" she announced loudly before racing off again.  
  
Vegeta emerged just moments later, wiping the sweat from his face with a towel. "I am not that brat's father," he muttered angrily, cursing that woman for putting such notions into the girl's head.  
  
"Sit down and eat up!" Bulma said cheerily as she set out the food. "I know you're all hungry, as usual."  
  
The meal proceeded like it did every night. The three Saiya-jin members ate so constantly that not a word was said. Then a cry of protest rang out. "MOM, AKI STOLE SOME OF MY FOOD!" Trunks exclaimed.  
  
"Did not," she argued.  
  
"Did too!"  
  
"Did not!"  
  
"Did too!"  
  
"Be quiet, brats!" Vegeta grunted.  
  
"But Aki's a little bitch!" Trunks whined.  
  
Bulma had had enough. "Trunks, that's twice in less than an hour! Go to your room!" she commanded. He slunk away, mumbling something under his breath. However, it didn't escape Nanaki's Saiya-jin hearing. She whispered something to Bulma, who turned beet red in anger. She chased after Trunks and dragged him by the ear to his room.  
  
It was definitely a very typical day at the Briefs house.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~ Okay, gimme reviews now. Five of 'em and you get a new chapter. 


	5. Love Blossoming? Yeah, right

Be Silent  
  
Disclaimer: DBZ isn't mine, I only own Nanaki.  
  
Author's note: Okay, this is where the important storyline begins. Hope you like it.  
  
Chapter 4: Love blossoming? Yeah right.  
  
Nine years passed, with every day very much like the last, except that everyone was, of course, older. Nanaki was a burden to Vegeta, an annoyance to Trunks, and Bulma's little angel. The youngest Briefs, Bra, was born when Nanaki was ten years old. They weren't exactly inseparable, but they often enjoyed each other and even shared in an occasional moment of mischief.  
  
The last five years, the Briefs family lost touch with Son Goku. He was always out training. Aki counted this as a blessing, since for some reason she absolutely hated the man. However, her adoptive family didn't seem to agree. So they visited Goku in the middle of his training while Nanaki stayed home with Bra. Arrangements were made for Vegeta and Trunks to enter the World Martial Arts Tournament, despite protests from the latter. And of course Aki was dying to compete as well.  
  
"Of course I can fight, Dad! I can already beat up Trunks and hold my own against you most of the time. Let me enter!" she begged, clasping her hands together as she made her best puppy-dog face.  
  
"You're not old enough," Vegeta grunted.  
  
"Are you kidding? Goku's letting Pan enter, and she's only four!" Trunks said. "She can go in my place if she really wants to enter."  
  
"Fine, brat, you'll enter. But that doesn't mean you're getting out of this, boy." Vegeta's last comment was directed at Trunks. The lavender- haired teen groaned.  
  
"Hooray! I'm in!" Nanaki cheered, jumping up and down.  
  
"Are we going to watch them fight, Mommy?" Bra asked.  
  
"Of course we are," Bulma said, patting her youngest daughter on the head. "We wouldn't want to miss it for anything." She didn't know how right she was.  
  
~Before the tournament~  
  
The Briefs family was glad to see all their old friends before the tournament began. Nanaki was thrilled to be reunited with Marron, who she had become friends with over the years. Neither of them knew many other girls near their age, so they had bonded despite having such different personalities. They didn't get to see each other often, so they took advantage of the situation and went off to the side to talk as soon as they spotted each other.  
  
"Hey, Trunks, who's the cute girl with you guys?" Goten asked as he watched Nanaki walk away with Marron.  
  
Trunks gaped at his friend. "Have you lost your mind? That's Aki. Remember her? The pest? The brat? The source of my daily misery?"  
  
"So she's what now, sixteen?" Goten asked, continuing to stare.  
  
"Fourteen, man. Look, you can NOT be interested in that little horror. It's WEIRD!" Trunks slapped Goten on the back of his head when he didn't give a reply.  
  
"Ow! Hey, Trunks, lay off. Just because you hate her doesn't mean I have to. She doesn't look fourteen. She looks our age. She's hot." His eyes traveled from Nanaki's feet to her head, noting the fact that the clothes she wore left little to the imagination. Yellow shorts and a black-and-red cropped t-shirt hugged her form. Her intent had been to make sure she had plenty of mobility for fighting, but the effect had been that she showed a lot of skin.  
  
"No way. If you say anything like that again, I'll tell my dad about it. No offense, but he would never let Aki date you. Ever." Trunks gestured to where Vegeta was watching Nanaki like a hawk, making sure nothing happened to her. He didn't like the girl, but if anything happened to her Bulma would have his hide. Besides, in his opinion everyone was too good for a spawn of Kakkarot.  
  
Goten gave a resigned sigh. He knew Trunks spoke the truth. Then the announcement came for all the fighters to come for the preliminary rounds. Goodbyes were said as the Z fighters and their families split into two different groups, one fighting, and the other observing.  
  
Nanaki walked behind Goku and Pan, watching the four-year-old with an expression that wavered between confusion and disgust. 'She's going to fight?' she thought to herself. 'She doesn't look like she could last more than a few seconds. Then again, she is one quarter Saiya-jin, so I shouldn't underestimate her. Still...' Nanaki shrugged it off and continued walking.  
  
"Hey Aki, long time no see," Goten said conversationally as he fell into step beside her.  
  
She glared at him from the corner of her eye as she continued her course. "How about we keep it that way?" she said in a mock-sweet tone.  
  
"Hey, hold on there ice princess, I was just trying to be nice," he countered. "It really has been a long time since I've seen you. You've grown up."  
  
"Which means I can kick your ass all the easier." Aki quickened her pace and pulled away.  
  
"I told you not to try. She's a horrible brat," Trunks said, half- comforting and half-rebuking, as he caught up to Goten.  
  
"She's a full Saiya-jin for sure. She acts like your dad," Goten observed. "Only she's definitely not your dad. Who knew tails were so sexy on girls? It'd sure be nice to have more Saiya-jin females around..."  
  
"You are disgusting," Trunks moaned, rolling his eyes in a highly exaggerated gesture. "She's my little sister. She's a brat. She's a full out ice queen bitch!"  
  
"She's drop dead gorgeous. Hey, since she's your sister, that means I don't have to worry about competition!"  
  
"Competition? Goten, get a grip." But Trunks' complaints were ignored as Goten marched forth for another try.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Okay, same thing. 5 reviews. PLEASE?! 


	6. A time to fight

Be Silent  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ, just Nanaki.  
  
Author's note: I got tired of asking for reviews. I've got at least one person who's read and reviewed every single chapter (thanks Thomas Drovin!), so I'm going to put up a new chapter every other day until they're all up. (Though be warned, I will have to delay a day or two every so often) Yeah, I'm impatient. I don't care. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 5: A time to fight  
  
The preliminary rounds were no problem. Everyone, even little Pan, made it through easily. The other contestants looked like no challenge, even though Goku kept insisting that one of them was some sort of super fighter.  
  
"None of these guys look tough at all," Aki complained. "Some punk kid, a pretty boy, a homo, a big guy who calls himself "wild tiger" of all things, a scrawny brat... and that last guy I beat was dressed in a chicken suit." Goten was the only one listening, however. He hung on Nanaki's every word.  
  
"A chicken suit? Seriously? Did he make chicken noises?"  
  
"Yes," Aki said with a little groan. "I think he thought he was a super hero."  
  
"Hey, Goten, come here," Trunks beckoned. Goten complied with a bit of reluctance as he waved goodbye to Nanaki.  
  
"What do you want? I was going to get somewhere. She was actually talking to me. Girls like a guy who listens," Goten whined.  
  
"You will never get anywhere with that brat," Trunks said, rolling his eyes.  
  
While they were talking and arguing Goten's chances, the fighter Aki had referred to as the "pretty boy" approached her from behind. "What's a cute little thing like you doing in the fighting ring?" he asked with a smirk.  
  
"Kicking the asses of guys like you," she replied coldly without turning around. "Do you have someone else to bother?"  
  
"The least you could do is look at me, babe." He placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her around. Her cold blue eyes glared at him as her tail lashed angrily behind her.  
  
"Don't touch me," she hissed through her teeth. A quick flip of her wrist threw his hand aside and she turned her back to him once again and walked away with purposeful strides.  
  
"Wait, I haven't even told you my name, sweetie," he offered.  
  
"Don't care." She waved him away with a gesture of her hand and, lucky for her, he didn't pursue.  
  
"It's Nareg!" he called out, but she didn't even twitch in recognition.  
  
She glanced around, trying to find somewhere that she could avoid the pretty boy fighter. She laughed when she saw Vegeta punch his designated opponent, the punk Nok, into the wall. Well, if her adoptive father wasn't in a good mood, she would rather not be around him. She most certainly wasn't going to spend her time with Goku and Pan. Buu could be entertaining, but he could also be equally annoying. That left... Goten and Trunks. Wonderful.  
  
She strode up to the two friends with a scowl on her face. "Hey," she said without a touch of emotion in her voice.  
  
"What are you doing here shorty?" Trunks asked. He often liked to tease Nanaki about her height, her being only five foot three.  
  
"Shut up," she snapped. "I'm only here to avoid the bastard over there." She jerked her thumb at Nareg, who was now paying attention to his admirers in the stands. "He thinks he's big tough guy."  
  
"Was he hitting on you?" Goten asked bluntly, turning a frosty glare to the offender.  
  
"Yes," was the growled reply. "I should've hit him, but then they might not let me fight in the tournament. I'd rather kick butt in the ring than out."  
  
"I'll get that guy!" Goten swore. He started out, hands fisted, ready to knock the man's lights out.  
  
"Down, boy," Trunks commanded. "You heard what Aki said. Fighting before the rounds start could get us disqualified."  
  
"But Vegeta..."  
  
"Do you really think anyone is going to argue with my dad?"  
  
"Oh, I guess not."  
  
"See? Now don't start. It's time for the first round. Let's go watch Pan." Goten nodded and the two young men, as well as Nanaki, turned to watch.  
  
[A/N: I'm sure that you all probably know how the tournament goes. Pan beats Wild Tiger, Goku fights Uub and then they go to train in Uub's village... I'm going to skip ahead a bit so that you don't have to listen to me retell it all. I'm not sure if I'm going to get all the pairings right... but since Aki's in the tournament, the pairings would have been a little different anyway.]  
  
After the initial rounds, only five fighters were left. There would have been six, but since Goku and Uub left, there was no fighter left from their match. All that remained were Pan, Goten, Nanaki, Trunks, and Vegeta.  
  
"Next up we have a rather exciting family match, Son Pan versus Son Goten!" the announcer said.  
  
"Are you ready to fight me, Uncle Goten? It'll be fun!" said Pan.  
  
"I don't know, I don't want to hurt you..." Goten replied nervously.  
  
"Don't worry, you won't!" Pan promised. "Grandpa is the one who trained me."  
  
"If you're sure..."  
  
"I am! Let's go!" Pan landed a solid punch first thing.  
  
Nanaki was watching from the sidelines, smirking every time the little toddler landed a hit on her teenaged uncle, and laughing out loud when Pan won with a decisive knockout. Trunks jumped into the ring to hold up Pan's fist in the sign of Victory.  
  
"Wow, wasn't that amazing!" the announcer shouted before swinging his arm around to point to the board displaying the pairings. "And lucky us, we have another family match coming up, Trunks Briefs versus Nanaki Briefs!"  
  
Aki smirked at Trunks, something she had picked up from Vegeta. "Ready, bro?" she asked.  
  
"I'm ready for anything you could possibly dish out, shorty," he replied as they strode up the steps side by side.  
  
"Prepare to eat your words!" 


	7. Trunks versus Nanaki

Be Silent  
  
Disclaimer: I only own Nanaki, not DBZ  
  
Author's Note: You guys are lucky. I have somewhere to go tomorrow, so instead of making you wait, you get this chapter early. Oh, and in response to a question from Amy85, there is no romance in this story. That's why this isn't in the "Romance" genre. But I have a sequel already started, so there could be surprises. Or, there could not be. If you keep reading, you'll find out.  
  
Chapter 6: Trunks versus Nanaki  
  
"You don't stand a chance, brat," Trunks sneered.  
  
"You're right. I don't stand a chance of losing," Aki replied saucily. "Now quit talking and let's get started!"  
  
"Sure, shorty, whatever you say!"  
  
Nanaki wrapped her tail tightly around her waist since Trunks knew it was a weak spot of hers. She could hear a few gasps when some of the spectators realized for the first time that the white appendage was real. With that done, she launched into her first attack.  
  
Trunks managed to block her first punch with the palm of his hand. "Can't you do any better than that?" he taunted. A second later he was flat on his back with a thud.  
  
"Don't let your guard down," Aki reprimanded as she grasped him by the wrist and flipped him across the ring. He hopped quickly to his feet, barely breathing hard.  
  
"Good try, but not good enough," he smirked. The next moment they were locked in battle again.  
  
Every punch or kick was quickly and easily parried. Nanaki threw herself into the offensive. She was a whirlwind of fists. This forced Trunks to defend, though he too got in a few attempts at the offense. Neither landed a blow for a solid five minutes as the crowd watched in silent awe. Soon the heated battle took to the air.  
  
"I won't let a little bitch like you beat me!" Trunks hissed.  
  
"You don't have to let me, I can do it on my own," she replied. "Now quit talking and start punching!" With one swift kick Trunks was slammed to the ground again.  
  
As soon as Nanaki had landed they were at it again. The fighting picked up such speed that soon the average spectator was unable to see them. Finally the tornado stopped to show the two poised on the very edge of the arena.  
  
Their grips were locked, fingers interlaced, feet braced, nose-to-nose. Neither one had an inch to move. Both had a foot hanging half on, half off the ring, with the other foot barely keeping balance. The first to budge would go out of the arena.  
  
"I'll get you now, Aki," Trunks chuckled. "There's no way you can win. I'm- " He abruptly cut off his bragging as a shocked expression came over him. His eyes widened as his grip loosened slightly.  
  
Nanaki smirked to herself. Her tail, that wonderfully useful appendage of hers, had saved her again. The end of it brushed lightly up and down the back of his leg, a sensitive area for anyone. With his attention elsewhere and his body more relaxed, Aki took full advantage of the situation and threw Trunks from the ring.  
  
It looked like an easy win, but Trunks hooked his sister's foot with his own and she fell flat on her back, clinging to the edge of the ring with her feet held barely above the ground. Trunks was floating just an inch or so above the grass. "You can't defeat me like that," he bragged.  
  
"Then I'll just have to do it like this!" she smirked, slamming him the last inch to the ground with the foot he had captured. He hit with an 'oof!' as the announcer declared a ring-out.  
  
"And after an exciting display of fighting skills, Nanaki Briefs goes on to the semi-finals!"  
  
She got to her knees and leaned over where Trunks was still lying on the ground. "Told you I'd win!" 


	8. Climbing to the top

Be Silent  
  
Disclaimer: I only own Nanaki, not the rest of DBZ  
  
Author's note: I'm just as impatient to get these up and hear your reactions as you guys are to read this stuff. But I'm not going to put up all the chapters at once. There's no telling how often I'll put up chapters from now on, but whenever humanly possible I'll put one up no further apart than every other day. Oh, and in response to the review from kiwiecat: This whole story is already written, and there's no romance, so Aki isn't going to fall for Goten. But like I said last chapter, I'm planning a sequel, and there will be surprises.  
  
Chapter 7: Climbing to the top  
  
"That didn't take long," Aki yawned. "Now it's my turn again." She turned in Vegeta's direction and shouted, "You ready, Dad?!"  
  
"We seem to have a nearly endless supply of family matches in this unique tournament!" The announcer shouted out. "This time a father-daughter match, as Vegeta faces off against Nanaki!"  
  
Wild cheers went up from the crowd for Aki. They had been mesmerized by her showy victory over her brother Trunks. The young teen Saiya-jin had won herself a following.  
  
Vegeta grumbled to himself about being called "that brat's father" as he had a million times before, but Nanaki could tell he was certainly focused on the fight nonetheless. As she had done so many times before, she settled into a fighting posture familiar to her.  
  
It seemed purely instinct. When she looked back at it later, Aki could hardly remember any of the fight. Something a little more primitive drove her. But what she could remember was lying on the ground, thinking Vegeta was going to kick her from the ring, when he was suddenly on the ground next to her. Her tail had saved her again, tripping him unexpectedly. Before he had time to react she had grabbed his ankle to flip him out of the ring. She was the winner of yet another bout.  
  
"Why you little brat, how dare you..." Vegeta began, spilling out a long and vulgar string of Saiya-jin.  
  
"To be perfectly honest, I got lucky," Aki admitted. "My tail was thinking on its own!"  
  
"It's pretty," Pan said, reaching up to touch it where it was waving in the air.  
  
"Don't. Touch." Nanaki growled, whipping it away and wrapping it firmly about her waist.  
  
"Why?" the little girl asked.  
  
"It hurts," Aki answered. "And if you ever touch it I won't care if you are Gohan and Videl's daughter, you will seriously regret it." Of the whole Son family, Gohan and Videl were the only ones Nanaki cared for at all. Their daughter, however, was quickly becoming an annoyance.  
  
Pan wrinkled up her face. "You're not very nice," she commented. Then they were interrupted by the announcer calling them both to the ring.  
  
Nanaki swaggered up the steps for the fourth time that day. She faced her tiny opponent with a smirk. "So you've managed to beat two opponents today, brat," she said, "While I've beat three. Think you can take me?"  
  
"I'll try," Pan said with an optimism and naivety that nearly made Aki gag. Pan hung around with her grandfather too much.  
  
At first the battle seemed fairly even. A few half-hearted punches landed, but most were blocked. Then both girls turned it up a notch.  
  
Nanaki kicked hard, and Pan was thrown across the ring. She flipped over in the air to stop herself and quickly soared back for her own attack.  
  
Aki had to admit that the girl threw a powerful punch for her size. She wiped away the thin trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth with a smirk. "Good shot, brat. But you haven't experienced the half of what I can do. You're no match for me."  
  
A sharp, sudden backhand flung the toddler to the ground. As soon as she was lying on the ground, Aki took full advantage of the situation. She kicked Pan into the far wall mercilessly. Jeers and boos issued from the crowd who had been charmed by the amazing youngster even more than they had been impressed by Nanaki's flamboyant skills. Only when Pan got up and waved, proving she was alright, did the fans stop their heckling.  
  
"Nanaki Briefs is the winner by ring-out!" said the announcer. "She will go on to fight the great Hercule Satan for the championship!"  
  
Aki could see the fear in the aging champ's eyes as he walked up. The girl was unpredictable. She didn't seem like the type to hold to the promise Goku had made of losing on purpose.  
  
"Don't worry, you won't lose your title to me," she whispered, though her face held a smirk to display that she was in control of the situation. "I don't need to beat you. I've beat some of the best fighters at this tournament, I've set out what I hoped to do. I don't need the money. I'll make it look real at first, but give me one good hit and I'll go down."  
  
Hercule sighed in relief. "Thanks, kid, you don't know how grateful I am." She just shrugged and got ready for their little act.  
  
She punched him in the stomach first, and he pretended that he barely felt a blow that looked bone-crushing. A few more fake hits and he made his first move. She instinctively dodged his first kick before she remembered she was supposed to lose. She let the punch hit her directly and toss her from the ring.  
  
Just to show off, Nanaki landed on her feet. She was careful, however, to make it look like she had landed hard after being tossed like some little rag doll. She brushed some dust from her shorts and walked back to where the others were waiting as Hercule soaked up the admiration from his fans.  
  
"I wish he would come out and tell the truth," she said, rolling her eyes.  
  
"It's not hurting anyone, and the people love him," Trunks said with a shrug. "Besides, we don't have to stick around long. As soon as Goten wakes up, we're all out of here."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Okay, so those weren't my best fighting scenes. I don't care, because I had fun, and this isn't the most important part of the story anyway. 


	9. The conspiracy is set

Be Silent  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ, just Nanaki.  
  
Chapter 8: The conspiracy is set  
  
Goten awoke with a start in the medical room. "Where am I? What happened? Who won the tournament? Where's Aki? Aw, man, she's going to think I'm a total wimp now!"  
  
"You ARE a total wimp, Goten," replied Trunks, who had been assigned to wait inside until Goten woke up. "And Aki saw the whole thing!"  
  
"She hates me now, doesn't she?" It was more statement than question.  
  
"She already hated you." As much as Trunks despised his adopted sister, and as disgusted as he was with his best friend's crush on her, he hated to see the crestfallen expression on Goten's face.  
  
"Hey, Goten, I think I know how to fix you up with Aki."  
  
Goten was immediately alert. "How?! How?! Come on, tell me!"  
  
"You are pitiful," Trunks said with a shake of his head. "All I have to do is drop some hints to my mom that Aki likes you but is afraid to say so. She'll jump all over it."  
  
"Seriously? Alright, let's try it!" Goten's face was lit up like a child at Christmas.  
  
Trunks couldn't help but chuckle at his friend's enthusiasm. "Time for step one: the visit to the poor, ailing victim."  
  
"What?"  
  
"We make it look like she'd been worried sick and dying to see you."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Trunks stepped outside, where the rest of the group was waiting for Goten to wake up so that they could return home. He walked calmly over to Nanaki and put his arm behind her back to steer her towards the door. "The doctors want to keep him under observation for a little while longer, but you can come see him now." Aki was too confused to resist before he had her in the room.  
  
"Why the hell did you bring me in here?!" she shouted the moment she recovered.  
  
Trunks clapped a hand over her mouth. "None of your business, shorty, so keep your mouth shut and come out of the room smiling."  
  
"I don't smile, idiot," she muttered as best she could through his hand.  
  
"You do now. Either you smile or you mysteriously lose your precious little tail."  
  
"You wouldn't dare, you bastard!"  
  
"I wouldn't? Try me. Now go back out there, and don't forget to have a pretty smile."  
  
Aki glared venomously at Trunks as he released her, but she smiled as she walked out the door with her tail tightly about her waist. "Did you have to threaten her like that?!" Goten scolded.  
  
"If I hadn't she would've come out of here looking like we had force-fed her lemons," Trunks answered. "That would not have been very convincing."  
  
"But I don't want her to be scared of me."  
  
"She won't be. I'll be the bad guy, so she'll hate me, not you. In fact, if you defend her, she might actually like you." Trunks wasn't sure if that was true, but it seemed to give his friend some hope.  
  
"I hope so. Do you think they'll let me out of here now?" Goten asked pleadingly.  
  
"Yeah. Come on, let's get out of here."  
  
Outside, Bulma had already taken the bait. She was prodding Nanaki for information.  
  
"Why did Trunks let you in, Aki?" she asked sweetly. The given answer was a simple shrug, and Nanaki went to speak to Marron again.  
  
When she failed several times to pump any answers from her daughter, Bulma turned to Trunks as he emerged from the room. "Honey, why did you take Aki in the room?"  
  
Trunks shrugged as well, but he also answered, "She wanted to come before, but she had to fight Dad and Pan."  
  
That set Bulma's wheels turning as she regarded Aki with a motherly gaze. Trunks walked away with a very satisfied smirk on his face. 


	10. It worked!

Be Silent  
  
Disclaimer: I only own Nanaki, not DBZ.  
  
Author's Note: I am SO impatient. I just update whenever I feel like it. Probably every day. Oh well, it's fun, and I'm sure you people don't mind.  
  
Chapter 9: It worked!  
  
For several weeks Trunks dropped numerous small hints. Every one of them caught Bulma's attention. Then Trunks had the chance of a lifetime. "Hey, Aki, you do know there's a dance at my school, right?" he asked on day as they passed the door of the room Bulma occupied.  
  
"Am I supposed to care?" she spat back. "It's not my school until next year."  
  
"They're letting students from your grade come if they have dates from my school."  
  
"I don't, so why the hell are you bothering me?!"  
  
"Come on, you know you want to come. Just think of who'll be there."  
  
Nanaki whirled to face him. "I. Don't. Care," she hissed. "Why are you suddenly bugging me? You follow me around and say stuff about your idiot friend. Well you know what? He's a retard, and so are you. Now leave me alone." She turned back and began to stalk off.  
  
Trunks just smirked. "You know you like him, Aki." He could see his mother out of the corner of his eye straining her ears to listen. It was working.  
  
Aki fixed him with a venomous death glare before stomping down the hall and slamming her bedroom door. Bra peeked out of her adjacent room to see what all the noise was about before she scuttled towards Nanaki's door. She knocked lightly.  
  
"Go away Trunks!" Aki shouted.  
  
"It's Bra!" The door was opened just enough for the toddler to be allowed inside.  
  
Trunks shrugged and walked towards the hall phone to call Goten and inform him of the progress. To his great surprise, his mother was already using the telephone. He overheard the conversation.  
  
"-So I was just wondering if maybe you could put in a word?" asked Bulma.  
  
"You bet I can, I'll be glad to finally see Goten dating someone I can trust." Trunks recognized the voice as that of the ever-protective and always-suspicious Chichi. He silently celebrated. His little plot had worked, and even faster than he had anticipated. Goten would be thrilled.  
  
He ran to his room and grabbed his cell phone, quickly dialing his friend's number. Goten picked up the other end and answered with a groggy "Hello?"  
  
"Goten, wake up or you'll think you dreamed this," Trunks said.  
  
"I am awake. Tell me."  
  
"It worked."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Trunks rolled his eyes and snorted. "You're NOT awake. The plan worked, idiot. My mom's talking to yours right now so that you'll take Aki to the dance."  
  
"Really? That's great! Can I go back to sleep now?" Goten asked pleadingly.  
  
"Yeah, whatever. See you at school."  
  
"Bye." Goten hung up the phone and laid his head back down on his desk where he was supposed to be doing his homework. He noticed that he had drooled on his Trigonometry and switched to a fresh piece of notebook paper. He hadn't written anything down yet anyway.  
  
A knock came at the door, and he called for whoever it was to come inside. It was Chichi. "Goten, honey?" she said. "Could I ask you something?"  
  
"Sure Mom. What is it?" he replied, suppressing a yawn.  
  
"Nanaki needs someone to take her to the school dance. Would you do it?"  
  
He shrugged, trying to hide his excitement. "Sure, I'll take her," he readily agreed. Chichi smiled warmly and patted him maternally on the head before returning to the phone.  
  
Goten turned back to his homework paper, but he certainly wasn't doing his homework. He began to draw hearts on the paper as he daydreamed, filling all of them with "Goten + Aki 4-ever" or "Son Aki." 


	11. Trunks gets what he deserves

Be Silent  
  
Disclaimer: DBZ is not mine, but Nanaki is.  
  
Author's Note: I love this chapter. *Evil demented grin* You'll see why.  
  
Chapter 10: Trunks gets what he deserves  
  
"What do you mean I have to go shopping?! Mom, I hate shopping!" Aki's shouts could be heard throughout most of Capsule Corp.  
  
"Nanaki, honey, you have to go shopping if you want a nice dress for the dance!" Bulma said, trying to soothe the enraged girl.  
  
"Dress?! DANCE?! What the hell do you mean?! I am not going to any damn dance and I am most certainly not wearing a DRESS!"  
  
"Watch your mouth young lady! I have already arranged for Goten to take you to the dance this weekend, don't you want to look nice?"  
  
"GOTEN?! Spawn of that idiot Goku?! Mom, you are unbelievable! He's so STUPID!"  
  
"Nanaki Briefs, calm DOWN!" Bulma shouted. "If you don't stop this you're going to tear up your whole bedroom! Now stop and LISTEN TO ME!" Bulma's voice somehow managed to carry even further than her daughter's. When Aki had calmed her rage, the bits and pieces of things she had sent flying around her room with her immense power surge fell to the floor. She flopped down on the bed to listen sulkily.  
  
"Now, Aki dear," Bulma began, "Chichi and I have arranged for Goten to escort you to the dance. You need to get out more anyway. We're going to go buy you a nice dress, and you're going to go have fun. And," she fixed Nanaki with a stern look to ward off the oncoming protest, "if you don't, you'll be grounded from the Gravity Room for a month."  
  
"Yes, Mom," Aki reluctantly agreed. When Bulma left, Nanaki threw a pillow at the door as it closed. "Damn this, why did she..." Suddenly she remembered. The day before, her mother had been listening in while Trunks was talking about the dance!  
  
"That BASTARD!" she screamed, running to his room and flinging open the door. "TRUNKS!"  
  
He jumped up from his chair, bumping his knee on his desk. "Ouch! Damnit, Aki, what in hell do you want?"  
  
"Gravity Room. Now," she growled. "You are SO going to pay."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"It is all your fault that I have to go to the dance with that idiot Goten. So you are going to pay here and now," Nanaki said, eyes narrow in anger.  
  
"I don't have time to put up with you, shorty," Trunks said dismissively.  
  
"You have two choices," Aki said sweetly. "Either you can come to the Gravity Room with me, or I can go tell Dad that it's your fault I have to go on a date with one of Goku's sons. He won't be able to change Mom's mind, but if he finds out that it's your fault he sure as hell won't be happy."  
  
Trunks paled slightly at the thought. He would much rather take his punishment from Aki than his father. And the Saiya-jin Prince certainly wouldn't be happy with his son's involvement in the situation. "Coming," he muttered, heading in the direction of the Gravity Room. Nanaki followed behind with a very smug look on her face.  
  
Once inside, Aki turned the controls to 100 times Earth's natural gravity. "I've been needing a workout anyway," she said with a smirk. "Now prepare to take your punishment."  
  
About half an hour later the pair emerged. Trunks staggered out first, holding his battered head with one hand. He had cuts and bruises all over, and both eyes were rapidly darkening. Aki walked behind, the obvious victor in the battle. She had suffered a few bruises and a busted lip, but otherwise she had gone unscathed.  
  
Vegeta had been standing outside for some time, waiting for them to finish. Attempts to stop them by calling over the intercom had been unsuccessful. He surveyed Trunks' injuries with a scrutinizing eye. He looked questioningly at Nanaki. "He deserved it," was all she said. But the Saiya- jin Prince didn't bother asking any questions. It was time for him to train. 


	12. Dresses can only spell more trouble

Be Silent  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ, but Nanaki is all mine!  
  
Chapter 11: Dresses can only spell more trouble  
  
"Hurry up, Nanaki; we've got to head out!" Bulma yelled from the driveway. She was eager to get Aki into a dress for the first time in... Well, she had never managed to persuade her adopted daughter into a dress, come to think of it. Nanaki slunk outside and into the car wordlessly. She was far from excited about going on a shopping trip, especially when it meant she had to wear a dress. Bulma climbed into the driver's seat and said, "Won't this be fun?"  
  
"No," Nanaki answered sullenly. "I don't want to wear a dress, Mom. Most of all, though, I don't want to go to the dance."  
  
"I know, honey, but we've been through that already," Bulma said cheerfully. She started the car and headed towards the West City mall. Aki stared out the window as the buildings went past. Nothing could console her right now. In her opinion, the worst possible punishment was being dumped on her head, and she hadn't even done anything. If Bulma dragged out the shopping trip, then Trunks was going to get another beating even worse than the first.  
  
"We're here!" Bulma announced, pulling into the parking lot. "I know just the store to go to first. We'll be able to find something lovely, I'm sure of it!" She practically dragged Nanaki to a huge store displaying dresses of all kinds in the windows. Several salespeople recognized Bulma and flocked to her, ready to serve. "No, no, it's not for me," Bulma laughed. "It's Aki. We need to find a dress for her to wear to the school dance." The salespeople were immediately off, and within a couple of minutes Nanaki was surrounded by fluffy, frilly garments shoved into her face.  
  
"Mom, make them stop!" Aki shouted. "I can't even see half of what they're showing me!" She suddenly found herself with a lot more breathing room. She surveyed the choices in front of her and sneered. "Nothing in pink, that one is too fluffy, too much lace, I am not wearing strapless," she rattled off, quickly eliminating all her choices. Soon another round of dresses came and she set out to refuse them too. But by the third set, there was one dress that she couldn't find any fault with (besides that it was a dress, of course).  
  
"Lovely!" Bulma exclaimed, holding it up to Aki's front. It really was quite pretty. The main color was yellow, accented with black. The straps were wide ribbons that tied in bows, and a stripe of black trimmed the bottom. The final touch was a black bow sash. There was no lace, no frills, and even the bows were inconspicuous, but it was still beautiful. "See, this isn't so bad, is it Nanaki?"  
  
"I guess not," Aki grudgingly admitted. "Can we buy it and go now?" Bulma nodded before handing her credit card to the cashier.  
  
The ride home consisted mainly of Bulma chattering on and on about how pleased she was that Nanaki had chosen a dress. Even if Aki had felt like talking to her mother, she couldn't have gotten a word in edgewise. 'But at least if she's talking, she's not yelling,' Aki thought gratefully. Then Bulma said something not easily ignored.  
  
"You'll just have to model your new dress when we get home!"  
  
Nanaki stared blankly at her adoptive mother. "What?" she asked. Surely she had heard wrong.  
  
"Don't you want Vegeta and Trunks to see how beautiful you look?" Bulma replied, oblivious to Aki's shocked tone.  
  
"Dad won't care, and Trunks will only make fun of me," Nanaki answered. "So what's the purpose?"  
  
"Come on now, Aki honey, don't be so modest," Bulma scolded. "Besides, Bra will be so happy if you want to show her the dress."  
  
Nanaki sighed. Now wasn't the time to get on her mother's bad side. Besides, if it was for her little sister... "Fine," she groaned. "But only for Bra."  
  
"Great honey," Bulma smiled as they pulled into the driveway. "We'll do it right away!" She ushered Nanaki to her bedroom and made the girl change while she went to announce the modeling to the rest of the family. When Nanaki emerged wearing her dress, everyone was waiting in the living room, thanks to Bulma. Vegeta simply grunted, and Trunks whistled teasingly. "Come on, Aki, twirl around so we can see the back," Bulma instructed.  
  
"I do not twirl," Nanaki replied dryly. But she did turn slowly around so that everyone got the full view.  
  
"Can I get a dress just like Aki's?" Bra asked her mother. "I want to go to a dance too! It'll be like the Cinderella story you tell me, except without the chores."  
  
"She can take my place, and she can have the dress, too," Nanaki said hopefully. Bra giggled.  
  
"Nonsense, Goten would be so disappointed if you didn't go. He may have even given up going with another girl just to take you," Bulma said. That got Vegeta's attention.  
  
"No one told me she was going with Kakkarot's younger brat!" he exclaimed. "That's outrageous!"  
  
""No, it's cute!" Bulma insisted. "She's going." Vegeta narrowed his eyes and grumbled, but he knew better than to argue with his mate. Nanaki sighed and snuck back towards her room, finally making it without her mother catching her. She had barely finished changing when there was a knock at the door. When the door was opened, Trunks stood there, looking smug.  
  
Aki wanted to slam the door, but decided not to. "What do you want?" she hissed.  
  
"Goten called while you were gone," he answered with a smirk. He held up a camera. "He told me to get a picture of you in your dress."  
  
"He wants a picture?! Why, so he can sit and perve over it?!" Nanaki yelled. "I am going to kill you and your idiot friend! Why is it that you seem responsible for all the problems I ever have?!" Sure, she was probably exaggerating a little, but that's how she felt at the time.  
  
"Shut up, shorty, you think you make life a picnic for me?" Trunks shot back. "You've been giving me shit since the day you showed up!"  
  
"It's not like I chose to land here! Hell, I don't even remember leaving anywhere, all I remember is the date when I was born! I don't even know my real name!"  
  
"I can't believe you don't remember anything. What could have happened that could make you forget four years of your life?!"  
  
Aki rolled her eyes. "If I knew, then I'd be remembering something, wouldn't I?"  
  
"Never mind," Trunks snorted. He turned away and walked down the hall to his room, slamming the door behind him.  
  
Nanaki walked into her own room and plopped down on the bed. It always had bothered her, not being able to remember even a tiny bit about her first four years of life. But now it weighed on her all the more, topping off all the frustrations she already felt. "Stupid brother," she muttered. But then she realized that he wasn't really her brother, even though she'd been saying he was for ten years. It was weird to think about. She was a Saiya- jin, child of a nearly extinct race. Where did she come from?  
  
She looked at the dress laid out across the end of her bed and kicked at it halfheartedly. "Stupid dress. You led to all this."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Ouch, I'm glad I wasn't there. That would've hurt my ears. They're mad. Hehe. I love torturing them... 


	13. Aki doesn't dance

Be Silent  
  
Disclaimer: Aki is mine! But you're welcome to lay claim to DBZ since it's not mine, just don't blame me if you're sued.  
  
Author's note: Wow, this is getting close to the end! After this, there will be three more chapters. But don't despair, there is a sequel! I can't promise that it will come out as fast, but I'm doing my best. *salutes*  
  
Chapter 12: Aki doesn't dance  
  
Despite all Nanaki's protests, wishes, and attempts to slow time, the day of the dance came right on schedule. At precisely six o'clock, Goten arrived to pick her up. She was wearing her dress, Bulma had insisted on fixing her hair up in a bun with black ribbons to match the trim, and it was all topped off with a touch of makeup. Aki didn't care for it, but Goten gazed at her admiringly. "You look wonderful," he said after an open- mouthed moment.  
  
"Thanks, can we go and get this over with?" Nanaki sighed.  
  
"Lay a hand on her and you'll have me to answer to," Vegeta warned with a glare. Then he smirked. "That is, if *she* doesn't pound you first."  
  
Goten just laughed nervously. "Ready Aki?" he asked, holding open the front door. Nanaki stepped out without a word. She was eager to get the night started so that it could be over that much sooner. "We're meeting Trunks and his date at the restaurant first," Goten informed her as they climbed into the car. "I don't think you've met her before. They just met a couple of weeks ago." Aki sighed, ignoring his idle chitchat.  
  
After a long, awkward silence, Goten glanced over at the girl in the passenger's seat. "Aki, why don't you like me?" he asked bluntly.  
  
Nanaki's reply was equally blunt, if not more so. "I cannot stand your father, nor have I ever been able to. I think that you are shallow and stupid. You are also my brother's best friend, and I hate my brother. Not to mention that, along with my idiotic brother, you forced me to come on this date, which did not help my opinion of you in the least." She crossed her arms and slumped further down in the seat.  
  
"But I do like you, Aki, no matter what you think of me. Please, just give me a chance," Goten begged.  
  
"How much do you really know about me?" The girl's question caught Goten off guard. He'd never really thought about it, but in reality, he knew next to nothing about the Saiya-jin female riding in his car. He'd been smitten when he'd first seen the new, grown up Nanaki, but...  
  
"Wait, I tried to talk to you, but you refused," Goten pointed out stubbornly. "It isn't my fault that I don't know much."  
  
"I told you nothing for a very good reason, and that is yet another thing you never can and never will know about me. Don't question that which you will never understand." The harsh words stung poor Goten, and the rest of the ride ensued in silence.  
  
Trunks' car was waiting outside when they reached the restaurant. He stepped out to greet them, and then introduced his date, Deyaen. [A/N: If you've read Love Long Lost and/or Trying Commitment, then you know who I'm talking about! I couldn't resist putting her in there, even though this has nothing to do with my other fics. This is the only chapter she's in.] The lovely brunette greeted Goten with familiarity and Aki with kindness. The girls began chatting while the boys got the table. "To be quite honest, I wasn't quite sure what to think of you between Trunks and Goten's descriptions. Goten described you as a perfect, lovely angel without a flaw, but Trunks portrayed you as a demon child. You certainly seem nice enough," Deyaen admitted.  
  
"To be perfectly honest myself, I'm anything but an angel to those two. I'm here against my will, thanks to my mother and the scheming of the knuckleheads over there. But I have no reason to bear any grudge towards you." Nanaki smiled a rare smile, and a quite sincere one. "Just don't be angry at whatever I do later, okay?"  
  
"Um... sure," Deyaen said, though she was obviously confused. She just decided to let it go, since Trunks and Goten were back to escort them to their seats.  
  
Dinner passed fairly uneventfully, despite the three Saiya-jin appetites sitting at the table. Trunks had promised to pay for the dinner for all four, so that all three Saiya-jins could eat their fill. After dinner, it was off to the dance.  
  
Things went fine towards the beginning. The songs were fast, and Nanaki actually began to think she might enjoy herself a little, as long as she stayed as far from Goten as she could manage. Then a slow song began playing from the speakers. Goten smiled and started wrapping his arms around Aki's waist. "Excuse me, but what do you think you're doing?" she hissed, fixing him with her most venomous glare.  
  
"Don't you want to dance with me? Why else would you come?" Goten asked, with an all-too-typical blank stare.  
  
"I was forced to, remember?" Aki reminded him angrily. "If I had any choice in the matter, I would be at home! How many times have I told you to stay away, and most importantly, DON'T TOUCH ME!"  
  
"Please, just once," Goten begged, putting on his best puppy dog face as he tried once again to wrap his arms around her. It had no effect besides to make her even angrier.  
  
"What part of NO don't you understand?! Back off!" Nanaki shoved Goten away, so hard that he went through the crowd and hit the far wall. He wasn't hurt, being a Saiya-jin, but the commotion attracted quite a bit of attention. In a moment, Trunks shoved his way through.  
  
"Nanaki, what in the world are you doing?!" he shouted.  
  
"I told him not to touch me! He wouldn't listen, so I MADE him get away. Understand?" Aki smirked haughtily. "Dad warned him too. Now you get away or I'll do the same to you!" She looked around at everyone staring with a strangely feral look in her eyes. "Same goes for all of you!"  
  
"Aki, stay calm!" Trunks ordered, but he was ignored. Nanaki turned her wild face towards him, looking ready to pounce. But quicker than she could react, Trunks had reached out and gotten hold of her tail. He slung his weakened sister over his shoulder, still with a firm grip on her rear appendage. "Hey, Goten, could you take Dey home for me? I think that I need to get Aki back now. Thanks, 'Ten." Trunks carried Nanaki to his car and situated her in the backseat, where she lay half-sleeping until they reached home.  
  
Bulma ran out the door when she saw her son home early, and released a worried gasp when he unloaded a still somewhat dazed Nanaki. "What happened?!" she shouted, running to her adopted daughter.  
  
"Don't ever force Aki into a date again. Goten tried to slow dance with her, and she freaked. I thought she was going to really hurt someone," Trunks explained. "Goten agreed to take Deyaen home for me. I'll put her in her room, and you can take it from there."  
  
"Oh, my little Nanaki, what have we all gotten into with you now?" Bulma sighed as she watched her children go inside. 


	14. The Dream

Be Silent  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ, only Nanaki  
  
Author's Note: So close to the end... *weeps and clings to her story* Big turning point here, so have fun reading, kay?  
  
Chapter 13: The Dream  
  
It was morning before Aki came out of her room again, and she was none too happy with her brother. However, with both her parents on his side for once, she didn't have much hope. "Good morning!" Bra said cheerily as Nanaki made her way to the breakfast table.  
  
"Hey kid," Aki replied halfheartedly.  
  
"I was asleep when you got home. Was the dance fun? Was it really like Cinderella's royal ball?" Bra asked. Nanaki simply replied with a seemingly disappointed shake of her head as she sat down.  
  
"Dances are not all they're cracked up to be, especially when you go with a member of the Son family," said the Saiya-jin female, who felt very much like a member of her race at the time. In other words, she wanted to destroy something. "Be glad you've got a few years to wait before you can go."  
  
"That's too bad. I thought it would be fun to go to a ball and dance with a charming prince," Bra replied before going back to her breakfast.  
  
The gears in Aki's head turned as she began her own meal. There had been no prince at the "ball" as Bra called it. Even if there had, she wouldn't have been dancing with him. She was there with that idiot Goten. It seemed as though everything lately pointed out the worst in her life. Or maybe she had just become a pessimist.  
  
"Nanaki, dear, glad to see you're awake," Bulma said cheerily as she walked in with another tray full of food. One look at her adopted daughter's face, however, and she became worried. "Are you okay, Aki?"  
  
"I guess so, Mom," Nanaki replied with a sigh. "About as okay as anyone can be when their life sucks."  
  
"Oh, honey, I'm sorry I made you go to that dance," Bulma said quickly. "Honestly, if I had known it would've made you that upset..."  
  
"Never mind, Mom," Aki said, standing up from the table. "I'm full now. May I be excused?" Bulma could only utter her shocked consent. It wasn't often that Nanaki left the table early, much less in such a polite manner.  
  
Aki headed straight back to her room. She wasn't feeling at her best; her head ached horribly. She blamed it on Trunks having hold of her tail for so long the night before. "All I need is a nap," she told herself. "I just didn't sleep well last night." She lay down on the bed and was sleeping soundly as soon as her head hit the pillow.  
  
*It was dark, but Aki could hear and feel the pounding of feet, and the sharp cry of an infant reached her ears. If she hadn't known better, she would think the crying was her own. Why was everything so dark?  
  
Suddenly, a voice pierced the gloom. "Kitajara, stop there!" It was a deep, masculine voice, rough and unpleasant to the ears. It startled the infant into silence. "You can't get away!"  
  
Another voice responded, this one feminine, and fear evident in its tone. "You'll never have her! She belongs here, she's the rightful heir!"  
  
"That *thing* you created is no more heir to Lord Frieza than a pest that's taken up residence in the woodwork. Hand it over and I'll kill it quickly. If you resist, I promise I'll make this very painful for both of you."  
  
The darkness suddenly left. There had been a blanket covering Nanaki's face, and it had shifted because she was being carried away again, this time even faster than before. She could now see the panicked face of a woman who looked very much like herself: the same white hair, the same pale blue eyes, but her delicate forehead graced with a silver tiara bearing a purple jewel. This must be the one the male voice had called Kitajara.  
  
The owner of the male voice, a huge, muscular man with strange colored skin, quickly caught up to Kitajara. He reached for the bundle in her arms, and Nanaki could feel a sharp pain in her cheek. Kitajara knocked the man back with a blast of energy from her palm and kept running.  
  
Nanaki was soon settled into a seat by the lovely woman that looked so much like her. "I can't let you remember this place, or exactly who you really are. They'll find you. But I hope you always remember how much I love you, and how much pride your heritage has." The infant began crying again, but Kitajara continued her speech. "Shhh, I know, but I have to. Goodbye, my little Frost. I love you!" The door of the space pod, for that is where Nanaki had been settled, began to close, until she could only see the distorted face of the woman with tears running down her cheeks. Even as the pod lifted off Nanaki could see several men, apparently soldiers of some sort, running towards Kitajara.  
  
Then she woke up.*  
  
Aki's face was covered in a cold sweat. "What in the world was that?" she panted. "I was in a space pod." Suddenly, something inside her seemed to click. "MOM!"  
  
It was only a moment before Bulma and Vegeta both came to the door. "What's going on brat?!" Vegeta demanded.  
  
"I had the weirdest dream, and I think it was a memory of something that happened before I came here," Nanaki said, her voice quivering. "Mom, Dad, who's Kitajara?"  
  
Vegeta visibly flinched at the name, and Bulma wore a look of grave concern. "She's the one who we think might have been your real mother," Bulma answered slowly. "You look just like her." Vegeta simply grunted something about "that damn pet of Frieza's."  
  
"Frieza? Someone said something about Frieza and his heir!" Nanaki exclaimed.  
  
"I think you need to sit down and tell us everything you remember, in order," Bulma said, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "I have a feeling that we can learn a lot from this." 


	15. The Beginning of the Truth

Be Silent  
  
Disclaimer: I only own Nanaki, not any other part of DBZ  
  
Author's Note: Only one more chapter after this. That's not cool... but that's why I have a sequel coming. I'm going as fast as I can on that.  
  
Chapter 14: The beginning of the truth  
  
When Nanaki had finished recounting her dream, her adoptive parents were even more worried than before. Bulma refused to discuss her fears in front of Aki, and dragged Vegeta away, assuring her daughter that she'd help make sense of things.  
  
"It's worse than I thought. The brat isn't just the daughter of a traitor; she's the daughter of a tyrant!" Vegeta raved as soon as they were out of earshot.  
  
"We don't have proof that she's Frieza's daughter," Bulma replied as calmly as she could manage. "If Aki remembers right, then Kitajara created her in some way. I would guess that it had something to do with genetic engineering. But from the looks of it, Nanaki may be nothing more than a clone."  
  
"She possesses skills that no mere Saiya-jin has ever had. This would explain everything!" Vegeta insisted.  
  
"Stay calm. Kitajara was different, and who's to say it doesn't have something to do with the same reason both she and Nanaki are so lightly colored?" Despite her pleas, Bulma had the same reservations as Vegeta. This strange dream opened up a lot of questions that they thought had been answered a long time ago. "I think our best bet would be a DNA test."  
  
Unknown to the preoccupied adults, Trunks was right around the corner, where he had stopped short upon first hearing his father's voice. He'd heard every word. The lavender-haired teen was shocked, to put it mildly. Still silent as a mouse, he slunk down the hall and took another route to his room. He slumped down into his desk chair to think.  
  
"Okay... the brat who I've known as my little sister for over half my life is the daughter of one of the most evil villains the universe has ever known. Sheesh, you wouldn't guess it by looking at her. This is too weird." The more he thought about it, however, the more it made sense, especially after the night before, at the dance. There had been something in her eyes that he had never seen even in Vegeta at his angriest. Trunks had fancied at the time that it was nearly like the rage of Frieza that his father had told him about in stories, but he hadn't known how right he was.  
  
"Eh, what do I care, anyway," he said, shrugging off the thought. Having so reassured himself, he went back out into the hall.  
  
"It was MY dream! What could you possibly want to say that you couldn't let me hear?! That I'm a freak? This is weird enough without you two making such a big deal about it!" From the sound of it, Nanaki had discovered Bulma and Vegeta's conversation and was less than pleased.  
  
Hoping to distract his family from their argument, at least for a moment, Trunks cut in, acting as if he knew nothing of the topic. "Mom, Dad, Aki, what's going on?" he began, stopping short when his sister turned. "Aki, what's on your face?!"  
  
Four light lines crisscrossed on Nanaki's left cheek, forming a # sign on her face. They were a pale brown, barely standing out, and might not have even been visible except for the fact that Aki already had unusually pale skin. The marks on her face made her seem all the paler.  
  
"Shut up. My name's not Aki," the girl snarled. "It's Frost." Bulma gasped at the pronunciation. "Be quiet, Bulma. I don't belong here. I want to go home. My REAL home."  
  
"This is your home, brat. Don't you dare say otherwise," Vegeta scolded gruffly.  
  
"I do dare say it, because it's true. I'm not human at all, I'm not fully Saiya-jin, and I was born somewhere else from different parents, with a different meaning to life. Hell, I'm a PRINCESS on my home planet!" The same rage Trunks had seen the night before at the dance was beginning to form in Nanaki's eyes, and the marks on her cheek were getting darker by the second.  
  
"Nan- er, Frost, honey, please be calm," Bulma begged. "You're a princess here, too. You're the daughter of the prince of all Saiya-jins." Frost, as she now called herself, snorted in disdain for the nearly extinct race.  
  
"I am Ice-jin and Saiya-jin. I am of the two proudest races of the universe, of two of the proudest royal lines."  
  
Vegeta interrupted here. "You may be adopted by the royal family of Vegeta- sei, but if you're talking about your birth parents, you're no Saiya-jin royal," he snapped.  
  
"Do you not know who my mother really was?" Frost replied, smirking slightly. Trunks watched as the strange lines on his adopted sister's face continued to darken and etch themselves into the surface of the skin. "Well, then, let me tell you." 


	16. Why She Must Say GoodBye

Be Silent  
  
Disclaimer: I only own Nanaki- er, Frost- not DBZ  
  
Author's Note: LAST CHAPTER! WAAAAAH! But I promise the sequel will be up soon. Couple of days, tops. Probably less. I've got the prologue and eight chapters done, I just have to come up with a title and a summary.  
  
Vegeta'z-gurl asked for me to tell everyone how a name was pronounced. I couldn't figure out which one she meant, so I'll just tell you how to pronounce all the names I've got in this story:  
  
Nanaki: Nah-nah-kee/Aki: Ah-kee  
  
Frost: umm... it's pronounced like the icy stuff... yeah  
  
Kitajara: Kee-tah-jah-rah  
  
Chapter 15: Why she must say Good-Bye  
  
"I suppose your parents wouldn't have told you, Vegeta," Frost began. "The latest royalty liked to pretend they were the only ones. No. Long ago there were others, too. More than one empire on the planet existed. And one of these empires was ruled by a different genetic strain. They were pale and white-haired.  
  
"Over time, the empire now known as the 'royal family' began taking over. They conquered the others one kingdom at a time. Without their careful monitoring of the royal line, my family was gradually absorbed into the mainline gene pool. After hundreds of years came my mother, Kitajara. She was a throwback. Like her forefathers, her strength was not in the physical, but in the amazing intellect. Frieza recognized this, unlike everyone else. So he took her in to be one of his top scientists, and she moved her way up through the ranks and closer and closer to Frieza himself. Eventually Lord Frieza became so impressed that he made her his second in command. He then wooed her, and the two fell in love and formed a bond.  
  
"I wasn't 'born' until after my father died. My grieving mother combined my father's DNA and her own, and created me. She based my looks on herself, as you may have noticed, but I am very much my father's daughter." She paused a moment, allowing this reality to sink in. Then she continued. "I'm going home now. I still know where you keep my space pod, Bulma. And I remember how to drive it."  
  
"Wait," Trunks interrupted, stretching out his hand towards her. "Why is it that you suddenly remember all this?" Frost tried to ignore him, but he stepped into her path, blocking with his still-outstretched arm. "You're not going anywhere until you explain."  
  
The rage and bitterness in Frost's icy blue eyes mellowed some, into mere annoyance. "You have seen the marks on my cheek. Mother scratched something into me to impair my memory, but I'm still not sure what it is. The same thing healed the scars she left on my cheek, at least to all outward appearances. Somehow this effect has worn off or been removed. How that is I don't know, but I'm thankful for it. Now let me go." She gave a falsely sweet grin and pushed past his arm and down the hall.  
  
Bulma and Vegeta hadn't said anything since Frost's story began. Now the blue-haired woman stepped forward and reached out a pleading hand. "Nanaki..." she began, her voice coming out in a near sob. Vegeta placed a restraining hand on his wife's shoulder, and together they watched the white-haired girl walk away.  
  
Trunks was the one to finally follow the girl he had once known as his sister. He chased her down, but didn't say anything until they had reached the room where the space pod was housed. "Aki- Frost- this is crazy. You've been happy here for ten years, but now you suddenly want to leave? What kind of sense does that make?"  
  
"What makes you think I was ever happy here?!" Frost snapped back, her rage returning. "Endless tormenting on your part, being followed around by your stupid friend, not knowing where I came from, looking like no one else on the planet... You honestly think I was happy?" Anger burned in every syllable of her speech, and her face was flushed as she turned and opened the hatch of the pod.  
  
"Please, just remember all the times you were happy," Trunks begged. "Destroying my toys, teasing me about girls, hanging out with Marron, beating everyone at the tournament, pounding on Goku, training with Dad..." he trailed off, leaving the rest to her, only his eyes pleading.  
  
"It's not important. Just leave me alone. I'm going home where my people need me." She began climbing into the pod, but she paused partway in. "I need to know if my mother is alright. I remember everything that I could have known before I left, but since then, I know nothing. My very last memories are of soldiers charging towards my mother. I don't know what they did to her." She turned her head, looking him straight in his azure eyes with her own paler blue ones. "This is my home and my family we're talking about. You and your mother and father have been good to raise me, and Bra's a sweet kid, but I have to know." She sat down in the space pod seat, but before she could close the door Trunks tried once again to stop her.  
  
"But you're my little sister..." he began.  
  
"No, I'm not. Never think of me as your sister again." He tried once again to interrupt, but Frost merely commanded, "Be silent." She closed the door, but through the round viewport Trunks could still see her face. He pushed the button opening the door in the ceiling, allowing the pod a clear path to the skies. Through the window, just before the pod lifted off, he could see a tear rolling down her scarred cheek, and a hand pressed to the glass as the Ice-jin princess watched the earth fade away below her. 


	17. The Sequel is up, people!

The sequel is now up; it's called "Cold as Ice". Frost is back, so go read! 


End file.
